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I think putting them on a new base is a great idea. If the ones I make and send out were used again in that way I would be very pleased. This would be a great way to recycle them and maybe donate them to a nursing home or other charity too.

And I have this set of picture ledges. I used to have cute ledges from IKEA, but the front lip hid too much of some cards or other objects I put on them. These are very simple and have the lowest lip I could find: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And I put a couple here or there on a book case on top of a stack of books, on a unit over my computer desk, or on my 2x4 horizontal Expedit.

I donate a lot of what I make to an adult oncology unit in a Michigan hospital. The staff uses them to cheer up/welcome/congratulations you finished your treatment/hang in there for patients (no get well soon), sympathy/thank you to patients or family members. I make a few that are used to acknowledge staff who have gone above and beyond. There are some (the unit manager is a family member) that are funny/sarcastic/a bit naughty to give to staff members who are having a bad day, need an attitude adjustment or just need a laugh. The stress on that unit is tremendous and sometimes they just need a little perspective/laughter/a smile. I actually do this in honor of a SplitCoast friend who passed away and the spouse of another SCS member so I am the one who is benefitting the most, believe me. I miss her and feel a bit closer when I send a box.

If someone makes me a card, I can’t bring myself to reuse or repurpose. I keep them in a drawer and once I awhile look through them and even get inspired for creating. I just can’t give them away... so I have the same problem as you and no solution haha!

Handmade or not, I keep only those cards that are deeply meaningful over the long-term to me. Every card I receive is special to me in the short-term, but there are some that I know I will treasure the handwritten words forever. Those are the ones I keep. The rest I eventually toss. The ones I keep are tucked away in various spots around our home - in binders on bookshelves, in our sideboard, in a drawer, etc. I like unexpectedly finding them now and again because it gives me the same feeling of surprised delight and warm fuzzies I got when I first received them.

I remount them or otherwise repurpose the focal point. Then about once a year I send them down to my cousin in a flat rate postal box. She bundles the cards, usually by theme, from various crafters that she knows, into bags that she sells for about $20 as a fundraiser for Relay for Life. Last year she raised $800 for this charity by doing this. For the ones that I remount, I use a generic "Handcrafted" stamp on the back, instead of the stamp that has my name, to signal that I did not personally make it. I like to think the remounted cards did someone good three times -- once when I received and treasured it, once when they are bundled for charity fundraising, and once when sent to a new recipient. So much better than just sitting in a pile in my craft room getting old and dusty.

I have a small cork board in my crafting area. I keep it pinned full of cards I have received. I try not to keep more than I can keep on the board! I don’t expect other people to keep my cards forever (although it would be nice if they displayed them for at least a week!) so I don’t hold myself to a higher standard either.

I never get home made cards, I make and send but people just don't send even Christmas Cards. I sent out 55 home made fancy fold one's and get 20 store bought cards that aren't even as nice as they use to be years ago. Sad to say it is one of those dying traditions when you can say thanks on facebook.

I'm so sorry Ev65Roses. It would be my pleasure to send you one if you'll PM me.
We do the same thing (send out handmade cards) and I got 3 store bought cards in return. All I can say is that I enjoyed the making/sending of each card so no expectations. I agree it's easier to use the internet and there are some creative things online but there's nothing like receiving a handmade one !!

I don't mean to whine, our culture is changing with social media. Doesn't cost you time or money when you post a gif or JPG with the sentiment. I am 65 brought up in a Catholic school with writing letters, addresses to perfection on an envelope and in 20 years everything will be done internet online and no need for a post office except for sending packages. I may not live to see it but it is coming... Thank you for your offer sewChrisd for sending me a homemade card that means a lot but you don't have too.

If I know the name I write the first name and first letter of the last name on the back of the card. Besides giving cards to my SIL some go to the troops and I would feel weird putting a full name without the person's permission.

I fell the same way you do, Ev65roses. I make all my cards during the year but it especially bothers me at Christmas, when so many people have stopped sending for whatever mostly poor reasons or you get the really unattractive ones. Even then, I am grateful to just be getting a card. When I used to buy them, I would take so much time to pick out my very favorite and pricey cards and then hope they were still there after Christmas. Sometimes I couldn't take the chance of waiting that long. Selecting my cards was such fun for me and they were truly beautiful. I still have one of each card I bought in the last 50 years because I couldn't part with them. The last few years, I would dip into that group if I desperately needed one.

I can't keep them all and I hate the thought of tossing them into recycling so I cut the fronts off and remount them on fresh cardbases. I put them in a box with a note on the box saying they were made by various cardmaking friends and sell them at my annual fundraiser every November for charity. My own cards are clearly identified as mine, and the remounted ones are separate so everyone knows they are not my creations.

I like Arlene's idea of writing the maker's first name and initial on the back.

I think my friends who made the cards would be happy to know that their cards were reused to raise some money for charity.

I have a bin called "parts & pieces" in my craft room where I put used cards. Sometimes as a challenge, I use things out of this box and see how I can incorporate it into a new card. I may use an entire front, or I may use just part of it, or maybe an embellishment that I liked.

Also, I tell all of my friends that if they get one of my handmade cards, they can give it back to me when they are finished and I will make it into a new card that will go to charity.

This link takes you to a bunch of videos of journals and display books that others have made out of received cards. I have this on my To-Do for 2018, so I'll be looking definitely at jennybellie's and ephemera garden' videos, plus a few others.

I display them for the duration of the holiday/occasion on the mantle or sideboard. After that the handmade ones (I'm so lucky to get many) are put on new bases and either given to my big sister who loves them and sends them out. She knows what it takes to make a beautiful card and is very appreciative to have a stash on hand when she needs one. Some that I get in swaps or make in a group situation, are given to a nursing home, hospice or for a gift basket for a charity auction. I belong to a very active stamp club, so there are always places for them. I do save a few that are extremely meaningful or for inspiration in my own card making.

I have NO crafty friends, so the only handmade cards I get are Birthday RAK. If that sender thoughtfully put a posty note inside with her message to me, then I can recycle her card, passing it on to someone in a nursing home for them to send with their own message inside.
I do get some lovely store-bought cards from friends, and especially my daughter. I have a magnetic board in my craft room for them.

Glad to see this started. I'll save my hand-made cards for maybe a year, then go thru them and recycle what I can. sometimes I'll cut off the back and remount and sometimes will recycle the whole thing. These as well as the ones I start from scratch, I'll put a note inside that I haven't signed my name and please resend them.